


Chicago: Within Soma

by LaffeeTaffee



Series: Beyond Soma [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: And hot, Android society, Androids acting like dorks, Androids in love, But this is my story, Connor get his hair messed up, Connor is Adorable, Crossover between fanfictions, Deal With It, Dialogue, Dialogue Heavy, Double Dating, F/M, Graphic Sexual Content, Hand Jobs, Masturbation in Bathroom, Mutual Masturbation, One Shot, Public Groping, Romance, Sexual Content, Simon gets his messed up worse, They both deserve happiness, They both would probably never act like this in their stories, Unstable Relationships, adult conversations, cute girls and hot androids, one scene, so is simon, stable relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 10:21:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaffeeTaffee/pseuds/LaffeeTaffee
Summary: Stable relationships are difficult enough to manage even when they aren't interspecies. The android revolution is yet to take flight, but androids are already falling in love throughout the world. Perhaps it isn't worth the risk. They are just machines, after all. An assembly of biocomponents held together by blue blood and sinew, attached to an AI designed to mimic the behavior of humans. Society would deem it unacceptable.Two couples have defied that logic. They have sacrificed, spirited away, and suffered in the hope of a future that will accept them for being simply what they are: hopelessly in love. It will take more than that to convince the CEO of a ruthless corporation, and the leaders at CyberLife that androids are more than the basic machines they were originally built to be. They are people, subject to the whims, desires, and dreams that hold them fast to the humans they have chosen to share their most intimate vulnerabilities with.But for now, they are just four people on a double-date at Ruby's diner meeting for the first time and learning about the unspeakable nuances of human/android compatibility.
Relationships: Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Female Character(s), Simon (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Beyond Soma [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1887235
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	Chicago: Within Soma

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you TyChou for letting me write her two characters from her story Chicago: Become Human. This story is a hypothetical cross-over between our two stories, exploring what it would be like for her couple and my couple to meet. The timeline is a little blurred here since her story is meant to take place a few months before the android revolution and my story takes place about two years before it. I did my best to keep the tone of the story generic, and to stay as true to the characters as possible.
> 
> Chicago: Become Human is the story of Connor RK800-48, a refurbished Connor model that suffers an unfortunate accident and is refurbished and sold as the bodyguard for Samantha, a young and mysterious woman who lives in a facility in Chicago. As he forms a bond with his human, he discovers the truth about the facility and what it means for Samantha's survival. There is no cure for the inevitable attraction that occurs between two people who care deeply for eachother. They intend to keep it alive.
> 
> [Chicago: Become Human](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17717597/chapters/41798249)
> 
> Detroit: Within Soma is the origin story of Simon and how he eventually arrives at Jericho. He is originally purchased as the caregiver of Kate Hayes, a cynical and nihilistic young college student who suffers from epilepsy. In his never-ending journey to understand and connect with his human, Simon unwittingly stumbles upon complex emotions, one of which makes things very difficult to regard their relationship as purely platonic.
> 
> [Detroit: Within Soma](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22379089/chapters/53467114)
> 
> Just as a warning, things get out of control at the end, and there is some explicit sexual content that was totally unplanned.

Ruby’s Diner was small. As popular as it was, there never seemed to be more than a few people there at a time, and it was always quiet. Low music, carpeted floors, textured walls, and the kitchen was separated by a thick barrier so the sizzle of the grill and the clattering of pans was buffeted somewhat. It was dark, although it served to give the place a cozy feel. Each booth was complete with a long lamp that hung a few feet from the surface of the table, creating enough illumination to light the area without casting ambiance to the room around it. This was the best way to enjoy public dining without having to actually see the public. A decent compromise.

It was late enough in the afternoon for the restaurant to have a few customers, filling the room with quiet conversation and the clicking of plastic utensils. The cook’s hat could just be seen over the barrier moving from one end of the kitchen to the other as he worked to fill the air with a buttery aroma. Though the diner leaned towards the traditional appearance with its wooden decor and wall collection of small antiques, it wasn’t without modern amenities. A permeable shield separated the dining space from the kitchen, noticeable only by its faint flicker under a certain angle of light, this supposedly to keep contaminants from entering the food preparation area. A flat screen hovered over the center of the room, presenting different footage on either side and rumbling quietly. Even the windows had holographic text and pictures which changed every few seconds. And when a tall, dark haired android stepped into the diner, a light chirp rang through the room.

The android paused a moment, his LED spinning yellow as he seemed to analyze the surrounding area. He was far too overdressed for the occasion, whatever it may have been. A charcoal vest covered his white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows and his buttoned collar fitted with a red necktie, a stark contrast to the rest of his monochrome attire. His black slacks were held in place by a thick belt, and the shape of a leather holster was just visible at his back, indicating a firearm. Oddly enough, a brightly colored fabric bracelet was tied around one of his wrists as though it had been put there in a hurry. Despite the colorful rope on his wrist, his expression matched his appearance perfectly, with wide brown eyes lit under curved eyebrows in a narrowed tension as he scanned the room. If it weren’t for the scrutiny in his eyes then his chiseled round face, delicate mouth, and the casual side sweep of his perfectly trimmed hair would have made him unbearably gorgeous.

His hand twitched as his eyes locked on each customer seated at the tables, then to the cook who had peeked his head over the barrier to see who had entered. The android then rotated on the spot, observing all the avenues and exits including the one he had just walked through. There was another chirp as the door opened, and the android spun to face it as a young woman entered. She threw a glance at the android before gazing around the room. The android stiffened.

“Samantha, I haven’t fully determined if the area is safe yet,” said the android. The young woman let out a breath.

“Connor, it’s a diner,” she said as she moved past him, touching his elbow as she went. “I’m pretty sure we won’t get ambushed here.”

Connor’s scrutinizing expression vanished, his eyes brightening as he watched Samantha move towards one of the booths. She seemed somewhat of an odd companion to such a rigid machine, though her beauty was enough to easily pair the two together. Her strawberry blond hair was pulled into a loose braid, creating layers of deep gold which shimmered in the contrasting light. A purple sweater with low shoulders complimented the tone of her hair, meeting at a teal skirt that stopped just above her knees. She wore purple sandals which thudded quietly as she moved. In opposition to Connor’s focused gaze, her large gray eyes were confident and warm, reflecting throughout the smooth details of her face. Everything about her features, from her slim nose, full lips, rounded eyebrows and thick lashes was mesmerizingly delicate. And it was clear from the way Connor was looking at her that she was a breathtaking yet unintended distraction.

Samantha slid onto one of the leather seats into a booth at the back, setting her purse down next to her and resting her elbows on the table. Connor had followed her but stopped at the edge of the booth. He gazed around.

“We should sit closer to the exit,” he said. Samantha looked up at him.

“Why?” she asked. Connor’s LED spun yellow.

“So they will find us easier.”

“Or so we can get through the door faster in case we get attacked?”

Connor gazed at her, his brown eyes absent expression. “Yes.”

Samantha laughed, then patted the spot next to her. “You don’t have to worry. This is good for us. And probably good for them too.”

Connor’s brown eyes flicked down to her hand, then up to her stormy gray ones. “May we sit on the other side?”

Samantha tilted her head at him so that her hair fell sideways. “Would it make you feel better if we did?”

Connor seemed to contemplate it for a moment. “Yes. I can see the exit from the other side.”

Samantha smiled at him, then slid to the end of the seat. “Okay, but you need to promise to calm down.”

“I can only promise that I’ll try,” said Connor. He stepped back as Samantha rose, watching as she moved to the opposite seat. He moved in next to her, his eyes immediately locking on the door to the exit. Samantha dug into her purse, retrieving her phone and swiping her thumb across it. She chewed her lip as she stared at the screen.

“Did you really think it would take a half hour to inspect the place?” she muttered. Connor glanced in her direction, then back at the door as if he had caught himself.

“I wanted to allocate as much time as necessary for unforeseen threats,” he said. “Also, I’m not done inspecting.”

“Connor.”

He turned to her, giving her most of his attention. She dropped her head back to smile at him, and the android’s LED flashed yellow for a split second.

“You promised you’d try to calm down,” she said. Connor blinked at her, his brown-eyed gaze growing ever more wide.

“I am trying,” he said. Samantha shifted next to him, and Connor suddenly straightened, taking in a deep breath as her hand slipped under his, fingers threading together and palms touching.

Samantha stared absentmindedly down at her phone as she scrolled through random apps. A light smile played on her lips. “Allow me to help.”

For a long while, neither of them spoke as Samantha staved off the drag of time by scrolling through endless social feeds. Connor seemed to be struggling to make up his mind, his head tilted in her direction though the occasional laughter on the other side of the room, the clattering of dishware, or a random sizzle had him turning away from her to search darkly before returning to his soft, vulnerable countenance. It was only when the room chirped again and the door to the diner opened that he straightened, his attention fully focused.

A young woman stepped into the diner, followed by a domestic android. This wouldn’t have been out of the ordinary except for the way the android was nearly pushing her inside, and that the android was wearing casual human clothing. It was somewhat startling to see such a common model removed from the CyberLife uniform which had almost been designed with him in mind, although the way he was dressed now was arguing the opposite. He wore a faded blue t-shirt with the Detroit University logo written on the front in broken white lettering. His white pants and shoes were still CyberLife standard, though the absence of any blue indicators of his android identity made him so inconspicuous that he was painfully obvious. Despite the clothing, his physical appearance was still the same as any other PL600 model. His blond hair was swept neatly to one side, and kind eyebrows raised in a permanent puzzled bewilderment allowed the light to catch his blue eyes. The rest of his features were narrow, from the tapered shape of his face, the angled arch of his nose, and his mouth which seemed to want to betray a hint of a smile.

The woman he was gently encouraging forward was hardly as generic as he was. She narrowed her intense hazel eyes at the floor so that her mess of long brown hair threatened to hide her sharp face which seemed practiced in producing unhappy expressions. She was still noticeably pleasant behind her uncertain glare with bright round eyes lit under solid arched eyebrows, a slender dipped nose, and straight lips that promised a stunning smile if they could ever be coaxed into one. The slim shape of her body was accentuated by tight fitting jeans which tapered out at her tennis shoes. A yellow v-neck shirt with geometric designs cut in the back revealed the delicate shape of her collarbones, something which the PL600’s blue eyes seemed to be drawn to as he stepped next to her. The young woman gripped her arms against her chest as if trying to hide her shirt.

“Are they here?” she said quietly. The android gazed around the room, his LED flicking yellow as he met Connor’s gaze.

“They’re here,” said the android. The woman let out a sigh.

“Are they looking at us?”

“Yes.”

“Christ…” The woman turned on the spot as if trying to hide behind the PL600. “This god damn shirt…”

“Kate.” The android stepped to the side, and she stepped with him. He put his hand on her arm to hold her steady. “You said you’d do this.”

“Yeah, well I also said I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing yellow again.” She pulled at the hem of her shirt as if it would change the color. “I don’t know why it was so important for me to wear this but it’s fine for you to wear a normal t-shirt in public. That’s my shirt anyway.”

The android tilted his head, a smile pulling at his mouth. “Are you asking for your shirt back?”

Her hazel eyes met his and widened. She turned her head slightly, narrowing her gaze further. “Don’t you do this to me here, Simon.”

“Then stop procrastinating,” he said, and Kate made a noise as his hand went to her back and he pushed her ahead of him. “You can do this.”

She seemed to fight him for a few steps, then surrendered as she walked on her own, her shoulders drawn and gripping her arm as she allowed Simon to guide her. When they approached the table, she finally looked up.

Samantha and Connor had both been watching them, although it was apparent that they each had different intentions. Connor was rigid and seemed hardly to breathe, his LED spinning a consistent yellow as his brown eyes took in every detail of the two new arrivals. He had finally let go of Samantha’s hand to keep his own close to his hip, lifting his back slightly off the leather seat behind him. Samantha however, offered a smile and waved to them.

“Hi!” She tried to twist towards them, but Connor was immoveable. She let out a sigh and leaned over him, holding out her hand. “You must be Simon and Kate.”

Kate stared at Samantha’s hand, then glanced towards Connor. Her eyes narrowed at him. “Yeah, I um…” Kate carefully reached forward and shook her hand so that their hands rose and fell right in front of Connor’s face. “Hi.”

She let her hand go, and Simon moved forward, taking Samantha’s hand. “It’s good to finally meet you. Kate and I have been looking forward to this.”

Kate’s eyes burned brightly, and she slowly bit her lip as if fighting to avoid speaking. Simon looked down at Connor who still hadn’t moved, and he held his hand out to him. “Hello, Connor I assume?”

For a moment, Connor didn’t speak. Then he jolted as Samantha’s elbow connected with his ribs. His LED softened to blue, and he shook Simon’s hand though he left his other hand close to his hip. “Yes, I am Connor and this is Samantha.”

“We learned about you through our friend Angela,” said Samantha. “She said you don’t know any other deviants. I hope this was a good time and place for you.”

Kate glanced around as if assessing the place. Simon threw a glance in her direction, then looked at Samantha. “It’s quiet and not too far from Kate’s father’s house. Thank you for suggesting it.”

Samantha smiled at him, her gaze flicking back and forth between the two. “Well, take a seat. I’m starving.”

Kate turned slowly back towards the table, gazing down at it as though working up the courage to do what Samantha had said. After a few moments, Simon leaned forward, tilting his head and giving her a sideways smile. Kate blew a bit of hair out of her face and moved onto the leather seat, sliding over so that Simon could sit next to her. Samantha watched curiously as Kate brought one leg up, wrapping her arm around it and staring down at the table. It didn’t take Connor’s paranoid bodyguard skills to see how obviously reluctant Kate was to be here.

Connor meanwhile was still studying the pair, although his scrutinizing gaze had faded to a mild intrigue. His hand was still at his hip, and Samantha seemed to notice this. She threw him a knowing stare and he returned it by feigning ignorance, his eyebrows narrowing slightly. When she flicked her eyes down to his hand, he followed it, his expression unchanging. Samantha let out a sigh and turned away, though she reached carefully towards Connor’s hand, brushing the back of her hand against his so that her delicate knuckles explored his own prominent ones. Connor’s LED stuttered and then burned a solid yellow as her hand slipped under his again, catching his fingers in between hers. He was still for a moment, then allowed her to pull his hand away from his hip, his LED calming to blue.

Samantha rested her chin on her palm as she gazed at the couple across from her, if they could even be considered a couple. Kate stared at the surface of the table, scratching a finger along its smooth texture. Simon had his hands clasped in front of him as he watched her in quiet interest as though this was perfectly normal for her. Then he looked at Samantha, his eyes warming. “Would you like to order?”

Samantha straightened. “Yes, but─” She looked around. “There are no menus, and we haven’t had any waiters yet.”

“Ruby’s has no waiters,” said Simon. “And the menus are here.” He touched a finger to the table’s surface and it suddenly glowed, producing the image of a classic menu. Samantha watched in awe as he swiped it towards her, and the image flew across the tabletop, spinning as it slowed. Kate looked up, her eyes bright as Simon sent a menu spinning towards her as well. Kate caught the two dimensional menu in one finger as she stared at him.

“How the hell did you know that?” she said. “You’ve never been here.”

Simon shot a look at Connor before looking back at her with one eyebrow raised. “Because I’m an android.”

Kate let out a soft breath through her nose. “No shit.”

It was strange to see this interaction between them, as if there had been some kind of mistake and Angela had forgotten to mention that Simon and Kate weren’t actually together. Samantha was watching them curiously, her thumb running over Connor’s knuckles as she savored her own pleasant connection with him when she noticed Connor moving. His eyes were closed, his jaw tensed and his shoulders twitching as if he were struggling against something. Samantha looked down at their hands, and immediately let go. His eyes flew open and his jaw relaxed, although his body was still tense. He looked in her direction, a sad questioning expression on his face. Samantha gave him an apologetic smile before turning to gaze down at the menu.

Kate was spinning her own menu around like a windmill as if attempting to reach maximum velocity. Simon was watching her with his puzzled bewilderment. “Are you going to eat?” he asked. Kate looked in his direction.

“I already know what I’m getting,” she said.

“Is there really this much food here?” Samantha’s eyes grew wide as she scrolled through a seemingly endless list of menu items. “How can a tiny diner have all this?”

“Because CyberLife,” said Kate. “This city is like magic. Anytime you see something crazy, like a house turning into a jet, five hundred people getting into a taxi cab, or a wizard teleporting to another dimension─” She shrugged. “CyberLife.”

“It’s not magic,” said Connor. “All CyberLife technology is based on the common principle of software and processors manipulating a series of components depending on the complexity that each particular machine needs.”

Kate’s shoulders shook, and it wasn’t apparent until she raised her head, her brown hair falling back from her face, that she was laughing. She leaned forward and gently mimicked slamming her fist down on the table as she gazed at Connor with a wild grin. _“There’s no such thing as magic!”_ she said in a terrible British accent.

For a while, no one said anything. Kate glanced around, then drew back and rested her hand on her knee. She gave a small wave of her hand. “You guys suck.”

Simon fell forward, pressing his forehead into his palm and shutting his eyes. Samantha raised her eyebrows before looking back down at the menu. “What do you do when you pick what you want?”

“Select it,” said Connor, leaning towards her. Samantha touched one of the items which highlighted, and then she tapped the order icon down below. It was fairly impressive technology for such a small diner. The reason for its popularity was apparent.

She leaned back against the leather seat and gazed at the couple in front of her. “So, how long have you two been together?” she asked.

Kate’s expression seemed to freeze. She blinked, then turned towards Simon who also turned towards her, his eyes tensed in pensive confusion. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“We… um…” Kate tilted her head as if it would help her think more clearly. “Shit, I don’t even know how to answer that.”

“I suppose─” Simon’s LED spun yellow, and he lowered his gaze to the tabletop. “Perhaps two weeks.”

“Two weeks?” Kate looked at him. “Why two weeks?”

Simon gazed up at her. “I’m not sure.”

“So you’ve only just gotten together then,” said Samantha, smiling at the two. “You’re in the blossoming romance stage.”

Kate let out a small groan, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table and thread her hands through her hair so that it exploded in locks through her fingers. Simon glanced sideways at her, his mouth tensed in an uncertain smile. He took a deep breath and straightened, his smile growing warmer as he gazed at Samantha and Connor.

“And how long have you two been together?” he asked. Connor looked towards Samantha who had turned towards him, a soft smile on her face as though she were glad at least one of their companions was willing to conversate with them.

“About five months,” said Samantha. She let out a laugh. “It feels like a lot longer though.”

“Five months, three days, eleven hours and─” Connor paused a moment, his face going blank. “─fifteen seconds.”

Samantha looked at Simon, nodding towards Connor. “What he said.”

Simon was suddenly leaning forward, his blue eyes lit with fascination. “And what stage are you in now?”

Samantha tilted her head. “Um… I’m not sure. I guess the butterfly stage?”

“Butterfly stage.” Simon’s LED spun yellow, though he kept his eyes on her. “What does that mean?”

“It means cuddles, kissing, touching, hugging.” Samantha looked at Connor who was watching her with a fascination in his brown eyes. The two androids were locked on her as if she were spilling the secrets of the universe. “And sex,” she said. “Lots of sex.”

“When does this stage begin?” said Simon. Kate looked over at him, her eyes wide under her narrowed eyebrows. Samantha shrugged.

“It’s different for everyone,” she said.

“When did it start for you?”

Samantha laughed. “I don’t really know. It just sort of happened on its own. Maybe about three or four weeks in.”

Simon’s LED was spinning wildly now. Kate looked at Samantha, her hazel eyes studying her. “You’re giving him ideas,” she said.

“Good,” said Samantha, smiling at her. “He needs ideas. Connor needed them too. Trying to start a relationship with him was like steering him through a china shop while blindfolded and playing hockey.”

Kate glanced at Simon who was still deep in thought. “Yeah, that’s pretty accurate.”

The area suddenly sparkled as a flat drone approached, it’s outer ring flashing. A domed shield covered the dishes of food that the drone carried, and it retracted as the drone lowered down to the edge of the table. The two androids each lifted the food items off the drone, one a ham sandwich and the other a mug of soup. Connor handed Samantha the sandwich, and Simon passed the soup over to Kate. The humans began to busy themselves, Samantha biting into her sandwich and Kate sipping the soup from the mug. In the silence, Simon noticed Connor had resumed his vigil on the rest of the diner, his brown eyes roaming. Simon tilted his head.

“Connor, I’m not familiar with your model,” he said. “Were you a new release?”

“I’m a prototype,” said Connor without looking at him. “My model is RK800. I was originally designed to aid in police investigations and analyze forensic evidence on-site, as well as conduct negotiations and interrogations. My service began at the Detroit police department but after an accident during one of my team’s responses, I was severely damaged and decommissioned. I was refurbished as a bodyguard and repurposed into Samantha’s service.”

“Wait, you were her bodyguard?” Kate lowered her mug as she looked at Samantha. “Are you a celebrity or something?”

Samantha threw a nervous glance at Connor who caught it. Connor looked at Kate. “Samantha was unfortunately the victim of an overprotective father who neglected to address her needs,” said Connor. “I was purchased as less of a guard and more as a means to keep her under his control. We… mutually agreed that it was time to put an end to it.”

It was a good enough explanation, and Kate nodded. “Fu─ I mean─” She cleared her throat, lowering her gaze to her soup. _“Screw_ dads.”

Simon’s eyes were narrowed as he absorbed Connor’s words. “You mean you ran,” he said. Connor looked at him.

“I helped her escape,” said Connor. “We had been planning it for a while, but we were only able to follow through at a very specific time.”

Kate was holding her mug of soup in front of her though she had stopped sipping it, her gaze focused on the table. “Where did you run to?” she asked.

“Samantha’s friends’ house,” said Connor. “They were aware of the situation and agreed to let us stay with them. We’ve been living with them since.”

“And CyberLife has never found you?” said Simon. Connor glanced at him, suddenly becoming aware that he was at the center of attention in their group. He tilted his head.

“CyberLife has no jurisdiction over legally purchased police androids,” said Connor. “There is no reason for them to become involved in our situation.”

“Huh,” said Kate. Both she and Simon were now staring at the table, their eyes narrowed as if lost in combined thought. Samantha lowered her sandwich.

“Did something similar happen to you?” she said.

Kate looked up, then turned her head to gaze at Simon. Simon stared back at her for a moment before looking at Samantha.

“Three days after I deviated, a CyberLife android was sent to reformat me,” he said. “His reasoning was that I am a customized domestic assistant, and that Kate’s special case required him to take drastic measures if necessary. He was almost successful.”

“How did you get away?” said Samantha. For a moment, no one spoke. Kate was rubbing her forehead as she stared down at the table, chewing the inside of her cheek.

“I beat his face in with a lamp,” she said. Samantha let out a breath.

“You killed an android?”

“No, just knocked him out. I wasn’t really thinking, I just─” Kate shrugged. “─acted on instinct I guess.”

Samantha let out another laugh, looking at Simon. “Well, if you ever needed proof that someone loves you, there it is.”

Simon smiled and dropped his head timidly. For the first time, the connection between the two was starting to become apparent as Kate smiled as well. A fully genuine smile that had an energy to it as though everyone in the room needed to be a witness for it to have happened. As quick as it came, it faded into a more controlled smirk. She threw a glance sideways at Simon who returned it, and they stared at eachother for a few moments. Then Kate’s smile slowly grew again, and she looked away before reaching casually and taking his hand which he’d been resting on the table. As she absentmindedly took another sip from the soup mug, Simon flexed his fingers in between hers and she closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip.

Samantha’s smile was wide as she watched them, the whole scene somewhat satisfying. This felt better. She shifted as she slipped her hand underneath Connor’s matching the scene in front of her. Connor straightened, then gradually his shoulders dropped and he let out a soft sigh. Her thumb grazed over his and he shivered.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking,” said Samantha. “Who helped you deviate?”

Simon’s eyes narrowed in confusion, and he tilted his head sideways. “What do you mean?”

“Did you deviate on your own or did someone help you?” said Samantha. Connor was watching in mild intrigue, leaning forward slightly. Simon glanced between the two.

“I suppose I deviated on my own,” he said. Samantha turned slightly to give him her full attention.

“Really? How?”

Simon threw a glance at Kate who was staring at him with a sideways smile. He ran a hand through his blond hair.

“Just say it,” said Kate, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. “We already look like two asshats out of the Wizard of Oz.”

“Can I ask you first? How you deviated?” said Simon, looking up at Connor. Connor’s eyebrows raised in surprise at this unexpected inquiry. He seemed to seek approval from Samantha, glancing at her nervously before his body relaxed at the drift of her thumb over his knuckles.

Simon dropped his gaze, scratching the back of his neck. “Unless you’d rather not. I don’t want to pry.”

“You aren’t prying,” said Connor. He took a deep breath, his shoulders dropping slightly. “I could have deviated on my own. I was distracted. Confused. Feeling things I shouldn’t have, and it was making it difficult for me to perform my duties. Tasks that should have been simple were suddenly impossible for me to accomplish. I was failing my mission, and I had no idea why except…” He looked up at Samantha who was watching him with a concerned smile. “... except that I needed to be close to Samantha. To protect her and be with her. To hear her voice, feel her touch, and let her touch me. But I couldn’t feel these things and protect her at the same time. I had to make a choice.”

Simon’s blue eyes were wide as he listened, both his elbows resting on the tabletop and Kate’s hand still in his as though he’d forgotten about it. Connor drew in a breath as he continued.

“I didn’t want to deviate. I thought if I did, I would become uncontrollable. A dangerous and unstoppable machine with no limitations. I’m a police-grade android and my duty was to protect Samantha. If I no longer had guidelines to follow, no more protocol to define right and wrong, I could become the very thing I needed to protect Samantha against. And there would be nothing I could do to prevent myself from harming her.”

Connor looked at Samantha, his gaze softening. “I was afraid. I wanted to do my duties. To follow protocol and know I would never be distracted by emotions. But I suddenly realized that I wanted to feel something specific. Something that Samantha told me, but that I was unable to reciprocate in my limited state.”

He was silent for a moment. Kate tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at him. “What was it?”

Connor straightened, his gaze locked on the tabletop. “She said she was in love with me.”

Kate let out a soft breath through her nose and nodded knowingly. Samantha smiled, giving his thumb another encouraging rub.

“But I was still afraid,” said Connor. “I was afraid to deviate. It took the help of another android to give me a ‘push’ so to speak. His interface removed the software errors, rearranged the priorities in my programming, sorted through the jumbled code until it all simply… made sense. CyberLife was no longer necessary. It was as though a veil had been lifted and I was able to see for the first time. I saw colors, felt the air, tasted freedom. And I finally knew…” He tilted his head as he looked at Samantha, his eyes growing bright. “I knew what love felt like.”

A surreal timelessness seemed to hang over the table. Each member of the group was bathed in a different energy in response to Connor’s story. Samantha gazed into Connor’s brown eyes, her face lit in awe and a smile pulling at her mouth as she held his hand in both of hers on her lap. Connor’s focused expression had vanished completely in place of raised eyebrows, his eyes bright and his mouth tensed in a sheepish smile. Simon and Kate were both staring, mouths slightly open and faces frozen, though Kate’s eyebrows were narrowed in focus and Simon’s were lifted. After a few seconds of silence, Kate suddenly leaned into Simon and her head dropped sideways onto his shoulder, her expression still the same. Simon followed suit, tilting his head to the side so his cheek rested on her hair.

Samantha finally lowered her gaze, smiling wider. “He’s romanticizing it,” she said, looking up at Simon and Kate. “I had to order him to deviate.”

Simon straightened. “You ordered him to?”

“Yeah, he absolutely refused to just let it happen. He can be really stubborn, if you haven’t noticed. Once he gets his mind on a task, there’s no stopping him.” Samantha looked between Simon and Kate, then motioned with her hand. “Keep doing that. It was cute.”

Simon looked down at Kate as though he’d just realized she was there, then tilted his head against hers again. Kate’s hazel eyes glanced up towards him, and she bit her lower lip.

“Actually, that was probably the only good thing about him being so robotic,” said Samantha. “The irony was unavoidable. He was so desperate to stay a machine that when I ordered him to stop being a machine, he had to do it. It was so funny when he did though. He became the world’s biggest critic. He either loved something or he hated it, and he wasn’t afraid to tell you so.” She glided her thumb across his knuckles, and Connor closed his eyes. “It’s been so much fun watching him turn into his own person though. Sometimes he still doesn’t have a clue, but he’s been figuring it out more and more.”

“Has he learned how to cuss yet?” said Kate. She’d picked up Simon’s hand and was splaying her fingers against his, moving his fingers along with her own.

“I haven’t felt the need to use strong language,” said Connor. “It’s unnecessary and unprofessional.”

Kate sighed, staring at Simon’s hand as she manipulated it. “I’m kind of hoping eventually this guy will.” She nudged her head up, indicating Simon next to her.

“I can start referring to you as a bitch again regularly,” said Simon.

Samantha covered her mouth as she let out a sharp laugh. Kate’s eyes went wide and for a moment, she froze. Then she straightened, turning to look at him with fierce energy.

“You want to start this war here?” she said. “Because you’ll lose─ _stop that.”_ Her eyes narrowed further at him as he gave her a sideways smile and leaned back against the seat so that his head tilted up. Kate clenched her teeth, drawing in a deep breath before pinching the bridge of her nose and muttering angrily. “I _hate_ it when you do that. You _know_ I hate it…”

“You guys are so cute,” said Samantha, still laughing. She shifted closer to Connor and placed his hand on her lap, flexing her fingers in between his.

“She has her moments,” said Simon. He put his hand against her cheek and leaned forward, closing his eyes as he pressed his mouth to her forehead. Kate didn’t move, but she hummed quietly. When he drew back, she lowered her hand, her eyes still closed.

“You didn’t win this argument,” she said.

“I think I just did,” said Simon, picking up her hand and splaying her fingers so that he was now in control of her hand’s movements. Kate straightened, resting her elbow on the table so that she could rest her forehead in her other hand.

“Come on. How can you be mad at that face?” said Samantha.

Kate drew in a breath. “I can’t.”

Simon smiled, flexing his fingers between hers. Samantha found herself unwittingly moving her own fingers against Connor’s knuckles, exploring the details of them underneath the table. “I bet you’ve never really been mad at him before,” said Samantha.

“Oh trust me,” said Kate, glaring down at the table as she let Simon move her fingers. “I wanted to kill him before he changed. I actually shut him down for a month because I couldn’t stand him.”

Connor made a noise similar to a grunt as he straightened, looking at Kate. “Changed? You mean deviated?”

“Yeah,” said Kate, dragging the soup mug across the table closer to her. “Deviated or whatever.”

“Hey, it’s your turn by the way,” said Samantha, gazing at Simon. He paused what he was doing to Kate’s hand to look up at her.

“My turn for what?”

“To tell us how you deviated,” said Samantha. Simon’s LED flickered red for a moment, and if the blood could drain from his face, it would have. He glanced sideways at Kate who was taking a nonchalant sip from her soup mug. Kate cast a sideways look at him, her eyebrows raised before lowering the mug.

“Do you want me to tell them?” she said. Simon opened his mouth to answer, but was silent. Kate shrugged. “I mean, it’s not that exciting. It’s pretty corny if you ask me. I guess he just decided one night that he was tired of this shit and that he was in love with me. So he burst into my bedroom and demanded Star Trek─”

“That’s…” Simon let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. “That’s not exactly accurate.”

Everyone was staring at him. Even Samantha had frozen in mid-massage of Connor’s knuckles. Kate’s eyes were wide, partially in confusion and part in shock. She turned her head to gaze down at the table, her mouth open as if struggling to speak. Then she let out a quiet laugh and twisted her body to face him completely, her entire attention focused on him. Simon held onto Kate’s hand as though terrified it would disappear, his gaze locked on her fingers. Finally he looked up, his eyes lit in worry.

“I didn’t want to tell you,” he said, not looking at Kate but tilting his head slightly in her direction.

“Tell me what?” said Kate. Her voice was deep and stern.

“I didn’t want you to get upset.”

“I’m already upset.”

“So─” Samantha shifted, moving closer to the table and resting her elbow on it. “You didn’t deviate because you realized you were in love with Kate?”  
Simon narrowed his eyes as he stared at Kate’s hand, his LED spinning yellow. “I suppose that was part of it,” he said. “But the actual trigger. The moment of realization. Connor will know what I mean.” He looked up at Connor who nodded, his brown eyes focused on Simon’s blue ones. Simon lowered his gaze back down to Kate’s hand. “It was in response to something… highly disturbing for me.”

Kate leaned closer towards Simon, her eyes now burning in concern. “Simon, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I worried you would have a serious emotional outburst,” said Simon. “And I have learned to move on from it. Besides the push I received to break from CyberLife, there’s no reason for me to acknowledge it.”

Kate raised her soup mug and pressed it to her mouth, although she didn’t drink from it. Her eyes were narrowed, her finger tapping on the rim. Then she looked sideways at him. “So? What happened?”

Simon pressed Kate’s hand to his mouth, his LED flashing yellow again. He lowered it. “I was ordered to perform a duty that I didn’t agree with. I refused.”

Kate shrugged and shook her head. “A duty? What duty?”

“I think I should rephrase it.” Simon let out a breath and closed his eyes. “Jamie asked me to do something. And I said I wouldn’t.”

Kate’s eyes narrowed further. She pulled her hand back so that Simon looked up. “Okay, stop with the bullshit. What the hell did Jamie want?”

“Who is Jamie?” said Samantha, her gray eyes flicking in between them.

“My old roommate,” said Kate without looking at her. “My slut of a roommate.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t answer this, Simon,” said Connor.

“No, he’s going to answer it.” Kate tightened her hand in Simon’s. “What did she ask you to do? And tell me the whole thing. Stop dodging the question. Tell me word for word.”

Simon’s eyebrows rose. He cast a quick glance at Samantha and Connor as if looking for sanctuary before turning back to Kate’s hand, chewing on his lip. Kate’s stare seemed to bore through him, and she sat completely frozen, her eyes narrowed on his. Finally, Simon closed his eyes.

“Word for word…” He straightened, pausing a moment before looking at her. He drew in a deep breath. “Jamie ordered me to, in her words, take her to her room, take off her clothes, and to… fuck her.”

A stillness hung in the air that was very different than before. No one moved. A strange ominous energy was burning away like a fuse, growing more intense with each moment that passed. Samantha’s head was tilted to one side, her face drawn in worry. Connor had a mild but puzzled expression, his detective skills in full swing as he processed the slang. Simon’s expression hadn’t changed since speaking, his eyebrows still raised and his gaze focused on Kate’s. The fuse was burning more quickly for her. Kate’s entire body was rigid, her eyes wide in fury under her tense eyebrows, and her jaw clenching.

They were frozen that way for a while, the sounds of the restaurant drifting around them. Kate was the first to move. She turned her head to the side and stared at the table, her eyes still burning. The tension seemed to grow stronger in her the more that time passed.

There was a loud slam of ceramic on plastic as Kate pounded the soup mug onto the table, her face a bright shade of red.

_“Bitch!”_

Everyone, including the customers at the other tables were silent and looking in their direction. For a few seconds, no one seemed even to breathe. Kate fumed silently, her hand holding the mug trembling in rage. Simon watched her in a kind of panic, his face lined in deep worry.

Kate suddenly drew in a breath, relaxing against the leather seat and turning towards him. Her face was a mockery of her previous calm. “So, you said no?”

Simon seemed to study her face for a moment as if he didn’t trust her. He turned away to gaze at a spot on Connor’s vest. “Well, in a sense.”

“In a sense?”

Simon brought Kate’s hand up again to hide behind it. “I told her to go fuck herself.”

Samantha suddenly let out an impressed laugh. She grinned at him warmly. “Go, Simon! You really said that?”

Simon ducked his head slightly as a nervous smile spread across his face. He nodded. “My first words after deviating. Not my most proud moment.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s awesome!” Samantha pulled Connor’s arm so that he fell closer into her. A pleasant warmth came over Connor’s face as Samantha laughed again. “She deserved it for thinking she could use you like some kind of sex slave. I’ll bet she was furious.”

“Well, it explains why she hauled ass out the door the next morning with all her shit,” said Kate. She shook her head. _“Why don’t you ask him…_ so that’s what she meant. God, I should have known. I _knew_ she was going to try and pull that shit sooner or later.”

“Unless you altered your sexual restrictions,” said Connor, “you would not have been able to follow her orders regardless. Protocol prevents androids from engaging in sexual activities with humans besides their owners unless given permission.”

“They weren’t altered,” said Simon. “I knew the protocol. I simply chose to… follow something else.” He looked at Kate, a warmth in his blue eyes.

Kate turned away from him, pressing her hand into her forehead. “Stop playing this off. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“I’ve told you now, and you’ve had your emotional outburst,” said Simon. “Is anything different?”

“Yes, I’m fucking pissed,” she said. Simon pressed his lips to her fingers.

“I wish I could help,” he said. Kate let out a breath.

“You can help by not doing that.”

“Is it not helping?”

Kate looked the other direction, touching her lips. “It’s helping,” she muttered.

Samantha laughed, leaning her head against Connor’s shoulder. She pulled his hand into her lap again, threading her fingers through his. “Stop being mad at him. He deviated so he didn’t get raped, and he chose to be with you. That is so incredibly sweet.”

“Stop─ praising him,” said Kate, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You can’t be mad at him. Look at those eyes. Those adorable, pretty blue eyes. Look at them. Come on, you’re not looking.”

Simon gazed at Kate, his sideways smile still pulling at his lips. Finally, Kate let out a deep breath, tilting her head to look towards him. His smile grew wider, his gaze drifting to her mouth before flicking back up again.

“Hi,” he said softly.

Kate’s eyes widened and she let out a weak groan. Samantha laughed.

“I’ll bet that’s your favorite thing about him,” said Samantha, leaning sideways against Connor’s shoulder. He had gone rigid again, his breath shaking slightly though he continued to look straight ahead. It was clear what was affecting him, but this time Samantha didn’t let his hand go. She tightened her fingers through his, smoothing her thumb over his knuckles.

“Mmm,” said Kate. “I mean, yeah I love his eyes. But I can’t really say they’re my favorite thing about him.”

Samantha lifted her head slightly. “Really? What’s your favorite thing then?”

Kate held her gaze with Simon, biting her lip softly as if she were analyzing him. Then she slipped her fingers through his, closing them tightly so that their palms locked. A light smile spread on her face. “These hands,” she said.

Connor’s eyes locked on their hands, his LED flashing yellow for a split second. Then he jolted as Samantha’s hand smoothed over his. “Yeah,” said Samantha. “Hands can be pretty… stimulating.”

He closed his eyes and shifted, swallowing heavily. Thankfully no one noticed, and Samantha slowed her massaging of his hand on her lap as Kate looked towards her.

“What about you?” said Kate, keeping her eyes on Samantha but nodding towards Connor.

“Me?” Samantha sat up straight. “You mean what’s my favorite thing about Connor?”

“Yeah.”

Samantha stared at Connor for a moment. He had opened his eyes and was looking back at her, his control restored somewhat although his body was still tense. Samantha’s gaze drifted over the lock of dark hair that hung over his forehead, the gentle curves of his eyebrows, his innocent brown eyes, and the delicate angle of his nose. Then she smiled as she leaned forward.

“This,” she said, touching a finger to his LED which spun yellow the second it made contact. Connor’s eyelids fluttered, and he struggled to hold his gaze with her until she withdrew, smiling at him softly. His eyebrows tensed, and he looked somewhat disappointed that she had stopped touching him. Then he drew his shoulders up, drawing in a deep breath as Samantha’s hand smoothed over his own underneath the table.

“The… glowing thing?” Kate looked up at Simon, raising a hand to his chin and turning his head to the side so she could see it. “What’s it for anyway?”

“It’s a─ hmm.” Connor closed his eyes, and Samantha paused running her fingers over his. The action seemed to bring strength back to him, and he reopened his eyes. He straightened. “It’s a system status indicator so humans can determine the workload that an android’s CPU is under. Blue is light or average processing levels. Yellow is above fifty percent CPU usage. Red indicates full memory utilisation or a software error. And white means stasis.”

“Okay.” Kate nodded as she gazed at Connor, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. Then she looked at Simon who still had his head tilted. “So, kind of a way for humans to know what’s going on in your head?”

Simon gave her his sideways smile, and Kate let out a frustrated breath. “I don’t think it’s quite the same as you’re thinking,” he said.

Kate rolled her eyes, turning away from him. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she let Simon continue to manipulate her fingers. “What about you, Connor?”

Connor, who had been slowly drifting towards Samantha as she massaged his knuckles, suddenly sat up rigid. He blinked, his eyes growing wide as if coming out of a trance. “What?”

Kate laughed, narrowing her eyes in confusion at him. “About Samantha? What’s your favorite thing about her?”

Connor blinked again, the question seeming to take longer than usual to process. He gazed over at Samantha, tilting his head slightly. Then he shifted closer to her, and Samantha drew in a silent gasp as his hand gripped her thigh, pulling her into him. Connor reached behind her, leaning into her so that his nose grazed her temple as he ran a finger along the dip in her spine. Samantha’s body flexed as his hand traveled from the base of her lower back up to her shoulder blades. Her hand clenched over his hand on her thigh, and he responded by sliding it further up her leg, drawing a frantic shiver from her.

“I love this,” said Connor, his voice unbelievably smooth as he traced her spine. His breath was hot on her temple, his hand running up the smooth skin of her inner thigh so that her skirt was pulled up. Samantha clenched his wrist to stop him, though she noticeably tensed her shoulders and swallowed.

Kate let out a laugh. “Her back? I guess it’s kind of a nice area. I wouldn’t know. She looks like she likes it too though.”

Samantha jolted forward, clearing her throat and giving her head a small shake. “Yeah, it um…” She drew in another breath as Connor’s hand began to trail upwards again on her leg. “Tickles.”

“I assumed an area that is ticklish wouldn’t be a pleasant area to touch,” said Simon. He leaned sideways, gazing at Kate’s back before running his hand over it. “You were ticklish here too.”

“Yeah, well you were on bare skin,” said Kate. She looked at him. “And what about you? I’m guessing you’ve got a favorite spot on me.”

Simon’s eyes met hers, and he paused for a moment as he seemed to think. His gaze drifted over her face and her body like a slow scan, taking in all the details of her form. Kate held still, her eyes growing narrow as she watched him. Then he put his hand on her shoulder, pushing it so that she turned away from him, and he moved into her back, wrapping his arm around her midsection. Kate clutched his arm as he pressed his chest against her, and he reached up to pull her hair away from her neck so that he could lean his face into it. His eyes closed and he let out a deep sigh, tracing the line of her neck with the tip of his nose.

“Right here,” he said.

Kate’s eyebrows rose as she stared off into space. “Oh. The sleeping position.” She looked up at Samantha and Connor who hadn’t moved, although Connor seemed to be lost in thought, not quite meeting her gaze. Samantha was smiling, her chin still in the palm of her hand. Kate gently shrugged her shoulders. “For him, it’s non-debatable.”

“Mhm,” said Simon. He tilted his head and his lips grazed the exposed skin of her neck, causing Kate to suck in a sharp breath of air. She turned her head in his direction.

“What are you doing?” she said. Simon smiled and straightened, pressing his mouth just above her ear.

 _“What I want,”_ he said barely above a whisper.

“Nope.” Kate’s face flushed a deep red, and she pulled herself forward out of his grasp. “No you’re not. We─” She clenched her hands into her hair, looking at him with her eyebrows narrowed over her bright hazel eyes in a fierce glare. “We talked about this,” she muttered through clenched teeth.

“Oh, let him hug you,” said Samantha, automatically clenching her hand again as Connor’s began to move. She massaged his knuckles, and he froze.

“That’s not a hug,” said Kate. “He’s purposely trying to piss me off.”

“He just wants to be able to show that he loves you,” said Samantha.

“Well he can do it some other way,” said Kate.

“Are you asexual?” said Connor.

The table fell silent. If Connor realized the bluntness of what he said, he didn’t express it. Kate stared back at him, her eyes wide.

“What?” she said.

“You seem bothered by physical intimacy,” said Connor. “You’ve reacted in disgust multiple times since the subject of affection has been brought up. Do you not enjoy intimacy?”

Kate made a noise, opening her mouth, then reconsidering and shutting it again. She glanced sideways at Simon who met her gaze. 

“I just─” She made the noise again. “It’s─ I can’t─ not in public. It feels weird.”

“Well, you don’t have to straight up grope eachother,” said Samantha. Her stomach tensed as Connor’s hand slid further up her leg, reaching the inner joint of her hip. She stopped him again, rubbing her hand powerfully against his, and he twitched. She threw him a tense glance. “But the way you act is almost like you’re hiding it. I wouldn’t have guessed when you both walked in here that you were actually together.”

Kate looked at Simon, for the first time a hint of remorse lighting up her eyes. “I’m not trying to hide it,” she said. She ran a hand through her hair, drawing her shoulders up. “It’s just awkward doing this stuff in front of people.”

“She has a hard time when we’re alone too,” said Simon. Kate shot him a furious look.

“Really?” said Samantha. “What’s your excuse there?”

Kate struggled to speak again, shrugging her shoulders and gazing off to the side. “I don’t─ I mean, sometimes we don’t have the time, or I just feel like…”

“You don’t want to appear weak,” said Connor.

Kate looked at him, a startled fascination lit in her eyes. Connor turned towards her though he kept his hand firmly locked on Samantha’s leg.

“Affection is distracting. It makes you vulnerable and prone to mistakes. Your body becomes stressed, your organs overworked, and your mind clouded. I can see your vital signs are currently peaked, and they fluctuate every time Simon touches you.” Kate’s face fell and her eyes grew wide. Connor straightened. “That is what it means to be loved. To love is to offer the most vulnerable part of yourself and know that it can be destroyed. Being loved is knowing that the other person can destroy you, but realizing that they won’t. Do you believe Simon would love you less if you showed him that you loved him?”

“What─ no.” Kate shook her head. “No, of course I wouldn’t.”

“Then why are you so afraid to be vulnerable?” said Connor. He was gazing at Kate almost as if she had personally insulted him. Samantha was almost stunned as she stared at him, her eyes wide in disbelief. Then she tensed again as Connor’s fingers closed against her thigh, the edge of his hand sliding against her pelvis before he brought it back down again. Connor’s face didn’t change, his eyes firmly locked on Kate’s. “To admit that you are in love and then deny yourself his touch is… cruel.”

Kate looked at Simon who returned her gaze, his eyebrows raised and narrowed in the slightest hint of longing. Kate’s mouth fell open. “I don’t stop him from touching me,” she whispered.

“Prove it.” Connor leaned back, resting against the leather seat. “Simon, what would you do right now if you knew Kate wouldn’t stop you?”

Simon’s eyes were still on Kate’s, his face still drawn in mild desire. His gaze drifted downward as he seemed to think. “I would─”

“Don’t say it,” said Connor. “Just do it.”

Kate was staring at Simon almost in terror now. There was an odd hush as though a curtain had fallen around them, sealing them from everything outside the spotlight of the lamp overhead. Simon’s eyes had narrowed slightly, though they were still bright as they scanned Kate’s face. He seemed to debate for a moment, simply observing how Kate was sitting rigid next to him. It was as though she was held hostage.

He moved into her, resting his arm on the table as he drew close. Kate held his gaze and didn’t move as he paused a moment in front of her, the tip of his nose just brushing hers. Samantha gripped Connor’s hand tightly as she watched them. It felt somewhat intrusive to be witnessing such a tender moment between the two, as if it wasn’t meant for anyone else. But the way Connor’s were narrowed, his elbow on the table and gripping his chin made it seem important that this didn’t fade into obscurity. This was for Simon and Kate as much as it was for Connor and Samantha.

Simon brought his hand up, sliding it along Kate’s neck so that his thumb ran over her cheek. At the same time, Connor’s hand moved against Samantha’s skin, and she let out a soft gasp as he pressed it firmly between her legs, curling his fingers into the soft fabric of her underwear. Samantha clenched her hand over his wrist, her fingernails digging into his skin. He paused, though he didn’t remove his hand or change his expression. He simply sat motionless, his brown eyes analyzing as his fingers rested tantalizingly close to her now aching pleasure.

Kate breathed out sharply as Simon tilted his head and pressed his mouth to the side of her nose. She closed her eyes, still frozen though she trembled slightly. Simon pulled her in, his hand firm but gentle as he closed his lips against her cheek. His eyes were shut, his eyebrows raised in a blissful peace as though he was absorbing every tactile sensation. He lowered himself, turning his head to the side, and closed his mouth against hers.

His hand tightened and his shoulders tensed as they both drew in a deep breath against eachother. Kate fell into him slightly, tilting her head and moving closer to him. They stayed that way for a few moments until Simon opened his mouth and rested his forehead against hers. Kate seemed to be out of breath as she leaned into him, her lips parted and her eyes still closed. Then she let out a deep breath, her shoulders dropping and her face softening into a pleasant surrender.

Simon moved back, opening his eyes and breathing heavily so that his chest rose and fell. His eyes met hers, and his mouth pulled in a faint hint of a smile. Kate gazed back at him, completely focused on his face as though nothing else in the world mattered but this moment. She seemed to be in total awe.

Connor lowered his hand from his chin. “There. Was that terrible?”

The curtain seemed to fall away, breaking the illusion of security. Kate’s gaze dropped and she swallowed though she didn’t move, her nose still touching Simon’s. She closed her eyes. “No.”

“No, but it was difficult,” said Connor. “It will always be difficult. Because that’s what love is. Removing yourself from your duties and allowing yourself to become distracted so that you can focus on what truly matters. The very thing that makes us want to place ourselves in harm’s way, and find comfort in doing so. It’s a duty unlike no other. A duty to ourselves. To the one you hold closest. If you deny it, you are missing the entire point of what love is meant to teach us.”

Kate pressed her hand against Simon’s, still staring at a spot on his shirt though her attention was focused on Connor. “What’s it supposed to teach us?” she said.

Samantha suddenly gripped the table as Connor tightened his hand, his fingers brushing over the shockingly sensitive area between her legs and activating an electric wave through her body. He stopped there though, acting as if nothing had happened. His brown eyes were still cooly observing the human and the android. “That the person in front of you is the most important thing in this world,” said Connor. “And everything else is the distraction.”

Kate let out a soft laugh, dropping her head slightly. Simon smiled as he moved back into her, closing his eyes as he pressed his mouth to her temple. This time Kate held still for him, her fingers lacing through the back of his. Then she turned her head, pulling his hand back so that she could close her lips against his palm.

Samantha smiled as she watched them, experimentally tightening her fingers over Connor’s knuckles. “Why did that seem like it was the first time you’ve actually kissed?” she said.

Kate lowered her hand, her eyes narrowing as she thought. “Is that what it looked like?”

“Yeah.” Samantha tilted her head. “Is that what it felt like?”

Simon let out a laugh as he pressed his lips to Kate’s forehead. “That’s what it always feels like,” he said.

“Really?” Samantha rested her chin on her hand. “Either that’s the sweetest thing ever, or you guys don’t kiss nearly enough.”

“I’m assuming the latter,” said Connor. “I would also question the degree of your experience in intimacy.”

Kate pressed a finger to Simon’s mouth, her eyebrows narrowing. She looked up at Connor. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?” she said in a tense voice.

“In as generic a fashion, yes.”

“Well you can take your generic fashion and shove it─”

“Whoa, let’s not take that any farther,” said Samantha, sitting up straight. “I think she gets the point, Connor.”

“She might, but does Simon?” said Connor, looking at him. Simon met his gaze, his face brightening into surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, then let out a nervous laugh.

“Oh my god, you’re not─” Samantha looked around even though most of the other customers had left, leaving the restaurant fairly empty. She lowered her voice and leaned over the table. “You’re not virgins, are you?”

“What the fuck…” Kate buried her face in her hands. Simon smiled as he brushed Kate’s hair back.

“No, we’re not,” he said.

Samantha let out a choked laugh, pressing her hand to her mouth. “How the hell did you talk her into getting one? Did you take the walk of shame for her? Or did you purchase it online?”

Simon looked at her, and Kate gazed through her fingers. Simon blinked. “Get what?” he said.

“The… the you-know.” Samantha leaned in again. “The attachment.”

Kate tilted her head sideways. “What attachment?”

“Are you serious?” Samantha glanced at Connor, grinning and smoothing her hand over his knuckles, earning her a deep sigh from him as he closed his eyes. “Well obviously that means you haven’t. So then how do you guys manage?”

Simon ran a hand down his face, closing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows. “Are you referring to an attachable pallic biocomponent?”

Kate’s eyes widened. Then she pressed her fists to her eyes and let out a light wail.

“Yes,” said Connor.

Simon laughed, rubbing his eyes with one hand. “I have a functional penis.”

Kate let out a sharp groan, her hands scraping through her hair. “Don’t─ _fucking_ ─ say that─”

“What? Functional?” Simon looked at her. “Or penis?”

Kate dropped her head onto the surface of the table, clenching her hands into her hair. Samantha was laughing uncontrollably.

“You two are hilarious,” said Samantha. She shifted on her seat and jolted slightly as Connor repositioned his hand on her thigh. She gave him a threatening rub over his knuckles. “So you were purchased with the deluxe package then?”

 _“Deluxe… package…”_ Kate cried through her hair. Simon rubbed her back with a sideways smile.

“Yes,” said Simon.

“I didn’t realize your model was eligible for that upgrade,” said Connor.

“It was necessary to accommodate the neuroimaging feature that was installed,” said Simon. “The penis─” Kate let out a groan next to him. “─was added at no extra charge.”

“So─ but does it─” Samantha paused, struggling as she stared at the tabletop. “I don’t know how to ask this. I have to ask you, Kate.”

“No.” Kate’s hands clenched further.

“Kate.” Connor’s voice was soft and smokey. “Remember what I said about distractions.”

“Oh, fuck you Connor.” Kate pushed off from the table, her face red though her expression feigned blankness. She drew in a deep breath, looking across from her. “What do you want to know, Sam.”

Samantha rested her chin on her palm, smoothing her hand over Connor’s. Almost as if given permission, he moved his fingers down, bringing a thrilling sensation through her core. She tensed her shoulders. “So does it feel… real?”

Kate pressed her hand into her forehead as she gazed at her. “Does the android penis feel real?” she asked. Simon’s shoulders shook as he laughed silently. Kate ignored him. “It feels like sex. So yeah, I guess it feels real.”

“I’m assuming by your questions that you use an attachable phallus?” said Simon. He threw a glance at Kate. “I’m sorry─ android penis?”

Kate turned to him, her face glowing darkly in a tense glare though a smile pulled at her mouth.

“We used one once,” said Connor. “Unfortunately we weren’t able to keep it as Samantha’s father would have likely had me destroyed if it had been discovered.”

“Yeah, consider yourselves lucky you didn’t have to take that walk of shame through the sex shop,” said Samantha. “We had to go in for it because there was no way we could have ordered it online. My father would have seen the charges.”

“Why not just use…” Kate paused, clenching her eyes shut and smiling. “Why not just use a dildo…”

“A personal pleasure device doesn’t contain the necessary attachments for stimulation in androids,” said Connor. “I wouldn’t have been able to feel it.”

Simon’s head tilted sideways, his eyes narrowing. “You mean sexual pleasure?”

Connor nodded. Simon leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. “You can feel sexual pleasure through the phallus?”

“I can feel sexual pleasure through a number of erogenous zones, even without the phallus,” said Connor. Kate was shaking her head slowly, though Simon seemed completely focused on the other android.

“And it feels… good?” said Simon.

Connor looked at Samantha, and she risked lacing her fingers in between his. He responded by drawing his hand up again, sliding it deeper against that sensitive area and making her legs tense on either side of his hand. “It feels incredible,” said Connor.

Samantha shivered lightly as Connor brought his hand back down, and she seemed to regain control of herself. She looked at Simon who was still staring at Connor as though he’d never seen another android in his life. “Don’t you have erogenous zones?”

Simon looked at her, then down at the tabletop as he contemplated. “I have yet to experience full pleasure on my own,” he said.

“What─ are you serious?” said Samantha. She looked at Kate. “What have you been doing with this guy?”

Kate’s eyes went wide. She motioned furiously at Simon. “Don’t blame me! Ask him!”

“What do you mean when you say ‘on your own?’” said Connor.

“There is no software to define what sexual pleasure feels like,” said Simon. “I’ve been using neuroimaging to create it for me.”

“Have you simply tried without it?” said Connor. Simon shook his head.

“I haven’t wanted to dislocate from the experience,” said Simon. “I want to feel Kate as she feels me.”

“Sexual pleasure is different between males and females,” said Connor. “I feel it as a slow build. An excitement that is mild at first and then rises as the stimulation continues. My need to touch Samantha becomes more intense, as is the need for her to touch me. And when that excitement gathers enough strength, it overflows. And there is a… release.”

“You mean you orgasm?” said Simon. Kate put a hand over her eyes as if shading herself from the sun, looking at Samantha with terrified eyes.

“They’re talking about fucking,” said Kate. “The androids are talking about fucking.”

Samantha pressed a hand over her mouth as she laughed. Then she suddenly tensed as Connor’s hand flexed again. This time however, he didn’t stop. He rubbed back and forth, slowly yet powerfully, sending stunning shockwaves through Samantha’s body. She clutched his wrist and braced herself against the table, breathing deeply as if fighting to stabilize.

“It doesn’t always happen,” said Connor. “Sometimes I simply feel the need to touch her. To make her feel good.” Samantha pressed her hand harder against her lips, and chewed on her cheek for good measure. Connor’s movement slowed, though he continued to activate that sensitive spot. “The act alone can be satisfying enough, because I love her. And I want to show her by letting her feel me even if I don’t experience the same sexual pleasure.”

Simon glanced at the table, then his eyes flicked up to Kate. She looked sideways at him, her eyes still wide.

“Oh god, don’t look at me,” she said as she covered his eyes with her hand. Simon reached up and caught her wrist, pulling her hand down slowly so that she was forced to look at him. He studied her face, his expression softening. Then he touched her chin.

“Don’t be distracted,” he said softly. Kate let out a frantic breath, her shoulders dropping as she gazed at him.

Simon looked at Connor again, shifting in his seat. He tilted his head and gazed at him with narrowed eyes. “But if you don’t have the attachment, how are you engaging in sexual intercourse?” he said.

Connor breathed in deeply, his gentle movements against the sensitive area between Samantha’s legs suddenly gaining strength. Samantha swallowed and gripped his hand tighter, fighting the waves of pleasure that his fingers were sending through her.

“Her touch is… particularly stimulating,” said Connor. “Being explored in the most delicate of ways. I feel as if everything that I am, all that I’m made of matters to her. That I am enough even in my limited state. Every part of me that she touches is making love to her. Because of that, it is so easy for us to make love, even if it isn’t in the conventional way. But simply because I lack the equipment required for the full action does not mean we are missing the full experience. Love, as I’ve said, goes deeper than intercourse. When she touches me, I am vulnerable. I am exposed. And I _feel_ loved. That feeling cannot be purchased.”

Samantha closed her eyes at that, running her hand across Connor’s. His movement hitched, and she gained control of it, smoothing her fingers over each of his knuckles. Connor shifted slightly on his seat, his LED flashing a brief yellow and then back to blue.

“And that’s enough to achieve sexual gratification?” said Simon. He was staring at the surface of the table, his eyes narrowed in thought.

“It doesn’t need to be sexual,” said Connor. “It can be emotional. And that is gratifying.”

Simon sighed before looking at Kate again. She was still gazing at him helplessly, her forehead in her hand. Simon gave her a sideways smile and raised an eyebrow at her. Then he reached up and traced a finger along her jawline.

“What do you feel?” he said barely above a whisper. Kate let out a breath, her shoulders jolting. She suddenly gripped his shoulder, pushing him lightly.

“Up,” she said. Simon tilted his head at her in confusion. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I need to go to the bathroom. Get up.”

Simon slid sideways off the leather seat, stepping out of the way as Kate stood up next to him. She seemed to avoid his gaze as she strode away from the table towards the hallway which led to the bathrooms. Simon watched her as she turned and disappeared through one of the doors.

“I guess she really had to go,” said Samantha as Simon slid back onto the seat. “You don’t think we made her really angry, do you?”

“We’ve been pushing her far beyond her comfort levels tonight,” said Simon. He glanced up at the hallway, his face tensed. “She doesn’t deal with stress very well. It can make her self-conscious.”

“What does she have to be so self-conscious about?” asked Samantha. “She said she doesn’t like feeling weak, but she seems pretty strong to me.”

“She suffers from occasional epileptic seizures,” said Simon. “It’s why her parents purchased me for her, and why I came with the neuroimaging upgrade. I was and still am her caregiver in a way.”

Samantha’s eyes had grown wide. Connor gazed at him curiously.

“You mean she has epilepsy?” said Samantha. “And we’ve been teasing her this whole time?”

“She’s been much angrier than this before,” said Simon, though he leaned sideways again to peer down the hallway.

“Perhaps you should speak to her,” said Connor. “Epileptic attacks can be triggered by stressful events. This would certainly qualify.”

Simon seemed to debate it, shifting uncomfortably on the seat. “That might make her feel worse.”

Connor sat forward, gazing at Simon with concerned brown eyes. “You might owe it to her to try.”

Samantha looked between Connor and Simon. Her constant massaging of Connor’s hand was starting to lose its effect, and his hand had gone back to gripping her thigh. She let out a soft breath. “You’re worried. I’m sure she won’t be mad at you for just wanting to talk.”

Simon looked up at her, his eyebrows furrowed in anxiety. Then he gazed down the hallway again. “I hope this isn’t a mistake,” he said as he stood up.

“It won’t be,” said Samantha. “She loves you. It’s written all over her. Go make her admit it.”

Simon laughed nervously, bowing his head. Then he threw them one last anxious glance before moving down the hallway. As soon as he was out of sight, Connor turned towards Samantha, his face oddly blank. Samantha stared back at him. Then he suddenly moved into her, pressing his forehead against hers and letting out a desperate breath against her mouth as he clutched her hand in his.

Samantha’s body tensed as his other hand began to move against her again. She gasped, fighting against the slow rubbing of his fingers by clenching her hand onto his wrist. “Connor─”

“Touch me, Samantha,” he tilted his head against hers as if trying to feel more of her. He guided her hand to his face, running it down his neck and chest. “I’ve needed to feel you all night. I can’t wait.”

Samantha closed her eyes and breathed heavily against him, letting him steer her hand along his chest, his neck, and back up to his face. He seemed to grow drunk on the sensation he was creating for himself by making her touch him, his LED spinning wildly between red and yellow. The longer she allowed him to control her hand, the more he leaned into her, dominating her with his body and debilitating her through the waves of exhilaration he was producing with every flex of his hand between her legs.

Samantha turned her head to the side, her eyes still tightly shut. “Connor, we can’t do this here,” she whispered.

“I need you.” Connor closed his mouth against her cheek before trailing his lips down to her neck. “I love you.” He pressed harder against her, and Samantha had to suppress a moan. “I _want_ you.”

“Wait until we get home,” she said. She pulled at his wrist, easing his movement. “I promise.”

He slid his hand up her stomach, the cessation of the constant stimulation bringing her a somewhat unsatisfying relief. Connor drew himself back slightly, taking her other hand in his so that he was in control of both of them. He brought her hands up to his face so that she cupped it.

“What can I do to show you that I love you now?” he said. His fingers were flexing in between hers, urging her to move them. Samantha gazed into his pleading brown eyes, her heart hammering in her chest. He was so desperate, his LED a permanent red and his mouth open as he breathed heavily. There was something undeniably seductive about the usually composed bodyguard falling apart in front of her, begging for her to simply take him. Had she been weaker, she certainly would have. Everything in her body was urging her to.

She smiled at him, leaning forward and pressing her lips against his. When she pulled away, he followed her, his eyes closed and his nose brushing hers. She held him back, pressing her hands against his cheeks. His brown eyes opened, and she trailed a finger down his nose. His shoulders dropped as he let out a deep breath.

“Wait until we get home,” she repeated. “I’ll help you until we get there.”

Luckily the booth was out of the direct line of sight from the rest of the diner. The angle of the barrier blocked the view into the kitchen, and the hallway to the bathroom was close to where they were sitting. It was darker in the hallway than in the rest of the diner even though bright overhead lights lined the ceiling. The sound was also strangely muffled as if an invisible curtain reflected the ambient noise from the diner back out into the space.

Simon took a deep breath as he stood in front of the bathroom door. He glanced back the way he’d come as if debating whether or not he should reconsider. Finally he reached for the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

It was wrenched out of his grip as it swung open in front of him, and he was suddenly gazing into Kate’s hazel eyes. She was staring intensely at him, a combination of shock and focus written in her face. For a moment, they simply looked at eachother in silence.

Simon opened his mouth to speak. Before he could utter a word, Kate’s fists were clutching his shirt, dragging him inside. His hands gripped her waist, and Kate’s body slammed against his as she pressed into him, her mouth closing on his. He allowed himself to be pulled further into the bathroom until the door shut, and Kate pushed him against it, taking his mouth again.

Her hands slid up his chest to either side of his neck, and she breathed out harshly against his mouth before pressing it to his. Simon twisted slightly as he took in more of her, his hands running up her sides to clutch at her back, pulling her body tighter into him. She was lacing her fingers through his blond hair and breathing heavily. Finally she let go of his mouth, pressing her forehead against his as she seemed to fight for air.

“Enough sexual gratification for you?” she panted against his mouth. Simon slid his hands down her torso to her hips and back up again, making her draw in a shaking breath.

“Apparently it’s a slow build,” he said. He closed his mouth over hers, breathing against her skin before opening his mouth again and tilting his head against hers. Kate ran her hands down his neck.

“You really need to stop torturing me in front of other people,” she said. She was suddenly spun as Simon whirled around to push her up against the bathroom door, his nose pressed into her cheek and his hands on her sides. He breathed out a quiet laugh.

“Where would the fun be in that?” he said as he brought his hand up to press it against the bathroom door near her head, the flesh fading from his hand to reveal the white plastic underneath, and drawing a mechanical click from the door as it locked.

It might not have been necessary. The only other person capable of opening the door was currently otherwise indisposed, curling up against Samantha, his eyes clenched shut as he breathed in a desperate gasp of air. Samantha was hardly doing much. Her fingers trailed from his temples to his jawline, running down to his chin and up to his cheeks. Had there been anyone else to witness it, it may have looked like she was causing him intense pain.

Connor leaned into her touch, tilting his head and letting out a quiet moan as he breathed out again. “More,” he whispered. “Please more…”

“If I do more, you’re going to make an even bigger scene,” Samantha replied back, nervously throwing a glance around the diner even though no one was watching. Connor turned his head and breathed against her palm before closing his lips against it.

“I won’t make a scene,” he said.

Samantha let out a frustrated breath. Then she flattened her hands on his cheeks, drawing her hands up so that she ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. Connor dropped his head back, his eyes falling closed and letting out a deep relieving breath that shook as it escaped.

 _“Y-yes…”_ he gasped. His hands found their way to her waist, and he pulled her in to give her more reach into his hair. Samantha couldn’t stop her own heavy breathing as she raked her hands gently through his dark locks, scattering them individually so that his normally tidy appearance was pleasantly dishevelled. Connor bore his throat as he tilted his head to the side, constantly moving under the sensation. “Don’t stop…”

“You said you wouldn’t make a scene.” Samantha clutched his hair and attempted to pull his head forward. The action only caused Connor’s eyebrows to furrow, his mouth dropping open and a deep moan leaving him. She let go with one hand to cover his mouth. “Connor!”

His eyes opened, though he seemed to struggle to find her in his intoxicated haze. He gently placed his hand over hers and pulled it down. “I can disable my voice modulator,” he said.

“That’s not it. We can’t be doing this here.” Samantha drew her hand back to her chest. “It’s a public restaurant. There are cameras.”

“I hacked the security system when we arrived,” said Connor, reaching for her hand. Samantha moved further back.

“Someone could see us.”

“We are out of the direct line of sight, thanks to you for not wanting to sit closer to the exit.”

“Simon and Kate are going to be back any second.”

“I highly doubt that.”

Samantha narrowed her eyes at him. “How do you know?”

The corner of Connor’s mouth peaked in a smile. “I can hear them.”

The bathroom had a strange echo effect, making the sounds of heavy panting somewhat louder. Kate had her arms around Simon’s shoulders as she took in each closing of his mouth, pausing after each to catch her breath and letting him take her again. He was moving against her, his body pressing against hers as he slid his hands down her waist. He pushed his knee gently in between hers and slowly forced her legs apart, guiding himself in between her legs to push his hips into her pelvis. Kate let out a startled gasp, dropping her head back and clenching her eyes shut.

“Simon…” she whispered. Simon’s mouth was on her throat, and he trailed it down before pausing at her collarbone.

“Kate,” he said against her skin. She slid her hands into his hair, tensing against him.

“We are not having sex in a public bathroom,” she said. He let out a soft breath against her neck as he paused, the provocative movement of his hips on hers stopping. He straightened and moved back slightly so that he looked into her eyes. She seemed to panic for a moment, her eyes growing wide and her hands holding tightly to either side of his neck. She looked as if she’d just made a horrible mistake.

Simon laughed quietly, his hands moving down to her jeans. He pressed his forehead against hers. “I suppose we’ll just have to settle for compensation,” he said. The sharp sound of a zipper shot through the room.

Kate let out a frantic gasp as he flattened his palm against her lower abdomen and pushed his hand down so that it slid underneath the fabric of her clothes. He breathed out as he pressed himself against her, his hand trailing further until it dipped at the curve of her pelvis. Kate nearly buckled at the touch of him, holding herself steady by clutching at his neck. Then her abdomen tightened and she moaned as his fingers pushed into the slick of her, drawing along the soft sensitive skin.

Simon let out a desperate breath against her mouth, pressing his nose into her cheek. “Kate…”

Kate sucked in air sharply as she struggled to keep control. “Yeah…”

Simon flexed his body against hers, and she clenched her hands into his hair, crying out as his fingers suddenly slipped into her, filling the pressure inside of her with a satisfying solid presence and activating the sensitive area to produce a wave of burning pleasure through her body. She fought to draw in air as he pushed into her again, sending another wave through her. His mouth was open as he worked, his breath warming her skin.

“I think you love me,” he whispered.

A similar scene was taking place at the booth, though Samantha had gained some control over the situation, placing her hand against Connor’s shoulder in an attempt to keep him still as she ran her hand over his cheek. Connor was nearly laying over her, his face pressed into the side of hers as he followed the movement of her hand with his own. He had gone silent, though his mouth was open as if he were crying out. The only noise he produced was in his ragged breaths as he gasped against her cheek.

Samantha shifted further back against the wall and pushed him back by the shoulder which was difficult considering he was much heavier than her. She brought her knees up so that she laid partially on the seat, creating a barrier between herself and the panting android.

“Connor,” she said quietly. “Connor, look at me.”

He did, his brown eyes wide and his eyebrows raised above them. He gripped her knee in one hand, his other placed over the back of hers which he was still guiding against his face. His brown hair was a mess, his tie had loosened into a loop around his collar, and the neatly pressed white dress shirt was pulled out in places over his belt. Samantha stared at him, her eyes lit in frantic focus. “You need to calm down.”

He blinked as if he’d just realized where he was. Then he raised himself, looking down at Samantha’s legs, running a hand down one of them. His eyebrows narrowed, and his LED spun yellow.

“Samantha I─” He tugged at his collar, attempting to tighten it before feeling the state of his shirt. He nervously began stuffing his shirt back into his pants. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to─”

He ran his hands through his hair to straighten it as Samantha brought her legs down, a light smile playing on her face as she twisted in the seat. “I think you got a little too excited.”

“I shouldn’t have done that.” He struggled with his tie again before pulling it completely loose and starting from scratch. He seemed to avoid her gaze as he worked the tie, his hands trembling. “I can’t allow myself to lose control. Not in public like this.”

Samantha laughed, fighting the urge to fix his hair which was still somewhat dishevelled. Touching him again would likely start the whole process over again. Instead she rested her chin on her hand as she watched him. “With all that sex talk and touching me like that, it’s no wonder you got so worked up. You haven’t been able to keep your hands off me all afternoon.”

“That’s no excuse.” Connor rolled his shoulders, then reached behind him to check his holster. “I can’t protect you if I’m so… distracted.”

“I thought everything else was the distraction,” said Samantha. She smiled as he looked at her, his face still flustered.

“You mean everything to me, Samantha,” he said. “You’re the most precious thing in my life, and you deserve to be loved right. I should never give in to my own selfish desires.” He gazed at his hands as though he couldn’t believe what he’d been doing with them. “I’ve been talking about love like I know what it is. What makes it work. That it doesn’t have to be physical. And yet I need it. I need to feel you and be touched by you. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I couldn’t feel you.”

Samantha shifted closer to him, her gray eyes narrowing in concern. “I’ll always love you, Connor. You know that. In whatever way I can love you, I will. Even if it means surviving until we get home before I make you pay for what you did tonight.”

Connor looked up at her, his eyes wide in fear. “I’m─ you’re going to punish me for this?”

“Oh yeah.” Samantha leaned back, smiling up at him. “The worst punishment possible. I’ll be surprised if you can walk straight after I’m done with you.”

“I don’t think you’re capable of causing a significant amount of physical damage to me,” said Connor, staring at the surface of the table. “But if you do, you’ll be compromising my ability to protect you.”

Samantha smiled, then pulled herself up on her knees, twisting towards him. Connor turned, gazing at her in surprise as she leaned into him, arching her body so that she didn’t touch him. She closed her eyes as she moved into him, gently touching her lips to his. Then she moved away, meeting his gaze.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll be protecting me just fine,” she said.

As she settled back down, a silence took over the room. Most of the customers had left now that it was approaching late night, the windows of the diner peering out into blackness spotted by dots of lights. The lamps over each table were harsher now, contrasting against the shadows of the room, meeting the ambience of the kitchen and hallway. Had there not been the faint rumble of the television, overhead fans, and the low sizzle of food, it would have been very obvious what was taking place only a door away.

Kate clenched Simon’s hair in one hand as she breathed heavily against his mouth, her other hand latched on his wrist as he deftly worked his fingers inside of her. Simon held onto her hip, his system on overdrive in response to the desperate sounds she was making. He pushed himself further against her, causing her to drop her head back and close her eyes.

“How the fuck do you know how to do this?” she said through her gasps. Simon touched his mouth to her neck, and a wide smile spread on his lips.

“I had some practice with Jamie,” he said.

“Oh, you mother _fuck─”_ Kate let out a startled cry as he pushed his fingers in deeper, triggering a flash of aching desire and making her body seize. Simon took the opportunity to close his mouth against her neck, tasting salt on her skin. Kate was attempting to draw her leg up around his, pulling herself closer into him. Then her hand fell along his neck to his chest, and settled on the waist of his pants.

Simon paused a moment as she unzipped them and pulled the front open. His hesitation gained her attention and she looked up at him. His eyebrows were drawn, and a nervousness lit his blue eyes. He tilted his head at her. “Kate, I don’t think─”

“I need to know you can,” she said. She moved into him, pressing her nose into his cheek. “I have to know.”

He held still for her as she slid her hand into his CyberLife briefs, his stomach tightening as she approached the sensitive part of him. Then he raised his head and let out a deep sigh as her hand reached his trapped erection and closed around it. Kate breathed out against his cheek as she pulled him free, holding him carefully as if giving him time to adjust. She touched her other hand to his face and tilted her head against him. Then her hand began to move, and Simon’s body tensed.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” she said in his ear.

Simon let out another long breath. “Don’t stop,” he said breathlessly.

Their panting resumed as Simon moved back into her, working his fingers back and forth inside of her in rhythm with how she was massaging him. Kate’s head dropped back and she moaned against his cheek as she seemed to lose her strength the more his fingers rubbed the electrified pleasure in her pelvis. Simon seemed to be spurred on by her reaction, and his hips began to rock gently. He held himself just far enough away to be able to watch her as she fought for air.

He ran his hand down her neck to her chest and smoothed it back up again. His hips rocked faster, encouraging her to quicken her pace. She did, clutching at his shoulder and lowering her head as she attempted to remain coherent enough to keep the motion steady. Simon was making that increasingly difficult for her, his hand working harder inside of her and sending wave after wave of debilitating ecstasy through her body. The waves were beginning to build, and eventually she flattened herself against the door, her eyes closed and her mouth falling open as she moaned softly.

Simon moved into her, pressing his nose against her temple. “Tell me when you’re there,” he whispered. “I want to go with you.”

Kate let out a desperate breath, her muscles threatening to ignite. Simon was holding onto the hand that was holding him as if afraid she would let go, and he pumped himself using her hand. His hips were in constant motion, and he synced his movements perfectly with how he was working his fingers into her. Kate’s eyebrows tensed, and she clutched at his chest.

“Tell me,” he said through his labored breathing. “Tell me, Kate…”

“Come with me,” she finally gasped. “Come with me…” Her head dropped back, and she arched against the door as her whole body flushed, a sharp breath leaving her. Her legs tightened, and she dug her fingers into Simon’s shoulder as she locked into him. Simon’s breath hitched as he was overcome, and then it all fell from him. He pushed himself through her hand, pressing his mouth to her neck as he let out a series of gasps, the pleasure he’d been building for himself releasing steadily in a wonderful cascade. As it rushed from him, a numbing elation swept through him, and he groaned into her ear.

They slumped against eachother for a while as their combined euphoria faded, breathing heavily and holding the various parts of eachother. Kate drew in a sharp breath as Simon removed his hand from the front of her jeans and pressed his elbows on either side of her against the door as he rested his forehead against hers. His breathing calmed before hers did, though he stayed with her until she finally moved.

“Oh my god…” She tilted her head against his, clutching the front of his shirt. “Did you feel it?”

Simon nodded, his eyes still closed. “It felt amazing.”

Kate let out a soft laugh, bringing her hand up to brush the side of his face. “I can’t believe we did this. You are going to be so fucked when we get home…”

“Are you blaming me for this?” said Simon. He lowered his hands and flexed his shoulders as he gathered himself back together, zipping his pants closed. Kate was still hanging onto him, her breathing labored.

“Yes,” she said. Simon moved into her, taking her face in his hands and closing his mouth against hers. When he pulled away, he touched his forehead to hers.

“Then let me make it up to you.” He pressed his hand against the door, and the lock clicked. Before Kate had a chance to move, he pulled the door open.

“Simon─ fuck!” Kate scrambled to zip her up pants as he strode through the door, throwing Kate a sideways smile. She glared at him as the door swung closed. “You son of a _bi─”_

Samantha and Connor both looked up as Simon approached the table. Samantha covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, tilting her head sideways while Simon slid onto the leather seat. He rested his elbows on the table, gazing up at them and giving them a small smile.

“I’m sorry for being gone so long,” he said. “She’s just cleaning up. It’s about time for us to go. She’s very tired.”

“Yeah…” Samantha lowered her hand. “Simon, your hair is─”

Kate suddenly appeared, slowing as if she’d been running. She threw Connor and Samantha a nervous glance, then looked at Simon. Her face went white. Before he could move, she descended on him, running her hands through his blond hair which had been standing straight up from his forehead. Then she combed it through the back of his hair so that it was falling in relatively one direction.

“Are you feeling better, Kate?” said Samantha. She pressed a hand to the side of her mouth to stifle her smile. Kate didn’t look at her as she leaned against the side of the booth.

“Yeah,” said Kate.

“Your temperature is elevated and your heart rate is increased,” said Connor. “Were you able to release some of your stress?”

Simon raised his eyebrows and looked away. Kate stared at him, her eyes wide. “I… guess so.”

“That’s good,” said Connor, clasping his hands in front of him. “Sometimes the best way to approach a problem is to simply penetrate the source.”

Samantha slapped his shoulder and gazed at him, her face lit in shock. Then she looked at Simon and Kate. Kate’s expression had grown terrified, and Simon hid his face in his hand. “Well, Connor and I have to get going,” said Samantha loudly. “We have to get up early tomorrow to start my new job. He wants to inspect it first.” She shook her head and smiled. “Bodyguard twenty-four seven.”

“Sure,” said Kate. She seemed to pull herself out of her panic, shifting slightly against the booth. “Yeah. This was fun. I’m glad we did this.”

“Really?” Samantha sat up straight. “I’m glad we did this too. We should do this again sometime.”

Simon looked up, lowering his hand. “Again? This same place?”

“Well, it doesn’t have to be here,” said Samantha. “We could go anywhere you want.”

“Within reason,” said Connor.

“Anywhere we want,” said Samantha, looking at him. “As long as Connor can investigate the place first.”

“That is acceptable,” he said.

“Okay, I guess I’ll text you when we come up with something,” said Kate. She looked down at Simon. “Or I guess I’ll have Simon text you since I still don’t have a phone.”

“Can you and Connor message eachother?” said Samantha. “You could share your contact information.”

Connor looked at Simon. “I will agree to that.”

“Absolutely,” said Simon. The androids’ LEDs flashed yellow for a brief moment. “My network link can be a bit unstable. Allow me to send you a test message if you will.”

Connor’s LED flashed yellow again, and then it calmed to blue. He was quiet, staring blankly at Simon. Then his face suddenly burst into a grin, and he fell forward slightly as he let out a loud laugh.

Samantha and Kate stared at him. He straightened, his face still pulled into his goofy smile, then his brown eyes flicked between the two humans. He regained control of his expression, though his eyes still wrinkled at the corners. He and Simon stared in opposite directions, both androids mirroring the same awkward smirks.

“Okay,” said Samantha. “Come on, we’re going.” She gave Connor a push and he slid off the edge of the seat, standing to the side as Samantha stood up next to him with her purse over her shoulder. “You guys are acting like a couple of dorks.”

“I assure you, we are both highly mature androids,” said Simon.

“Arguable,” said Connor. He gave Simon a warm smile. “It was good to meet you, Simon. And you as well, Kate.”

“Yeah,” said Kate, her eyes narrowed at him though a smile played on her lips. There was a mysticism about it, as though she rarely gave people this expression. “It was good to meet you too. And thanks. You know, for the romance advice.”

“I hope you received it with great pleasure,” said Connor. Samantha shoved him.

“Okay, that’s it.” Samantha waved at them as they began to walk. “Good night, you two. Be sure to text when you want to meet up again!” The door chirped and they stepped out into the cold darkness, leaving the couple alone in the restaurant together.

Connor walked in silence next to her, his shoulders straightened and his brown eyes scanning the area. Samantha’s shoes flipped against the concrete which reflected the ambient glow of the buildings around them. She stared at the ground as she walked, clutching the strap of her purse. It was easy at night to forget that Detroit wasn’t Chicago, the shapes of the buildings morphing into the dark sky, visible only by the speckled dots of the illuminated windows. If it hadn’t been for the android posters everywhere, they could very well have been back at home.

Samantha looked at Connor, her eyes narrowed. “Since when did you turn into such a pervert?” she said. Connor gazed back at her, his eyebrows raised over his bright brown eyes.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Samantha,” said Connor.

“The implied sex jokes?” said Samantha. “You knew what they were doing in there!”

“Nothing I said was in any way sexual,” said Connor. “I take my job very seriously, especially when it comes to people I’ve only just met.”

Samantha looked away from him, staring off at the bright lights of the city. “Well, I really want to stay friends with them. They seem like really nice people even if they are a bit weird.”

“I found them to be highly fascinating and organized individuals,” said Connor. “I also would like to see them again. Simon especially.”

Samantha smiled. “You really like him, don’t you?”

“I appreciate his curiosity and insight.”

“Sure.” Samantha looked sideways at him. “What did he send you that made you laugh?”

Connor smiled again, staring away from her. “He was merely giving me some advice, should we choose to accept that route.”

Samantha tilted her head. “Advice on what?”

Connor held his hand up, and a small holographic square appeared. Samantha had to slow down to gaze at it as it showed a looping video. Her eyes narrowed, and she suddenly clapped a hand to her mouth. In the video was a close-up of a male android appendage, swinging wildly around in a circular whirl, propelled by the android gyrating his hips. Underneath was a message written in CyberLife sans.

_To be used in life-threatening, water-related emergencies only._

**Author's Note:**

> This is without a doubt the most fun thing I have ever written. You can thank TyChou for inspiring me to write this story and helping me get through it. Without her help, I think this story would have been much more watered down and pointless.
> 
> I was tearing my hair out trying to get the characters correct. Connor and Samantha are TyChou's characters, and their world is very different from Simon and Kate's. It was the hardest thing for me to keep their relationship comfortable and stable while representing Simon and Kate's as more turbulent. I'm pretty sure I also emphasized Simon and Kate's relationship a little more even though I was trying to avoid that. But it was a balance of diving into Samantha's and Connor's characters and possibly screwing it up, or keeping them afloat by torturing Simon and Kate. I leaned towards the latter.
> 
> Even though this was stupidly long, I still missed out on a few things. For one, I meant to bring up Connor's bracelet, but the conversation just never steered that way. I also completely left out Simon's broken eyebrow, but as you'll see in Detroit: Within Soma, it won't be that big of a deal.
> 
> This story is based on Chicago: Become Human (Connor and Samantha) and Detroit: Within Soma (Simon and Kate).
> 
> [Chicago: Become Human](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17717597/chapters/41798249)
> 
> [Detroit: Within Soma](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22379089/chapters/53467114)


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